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Crohn’s Disease
Summary
What is Crohn’s disease?
Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease that causes inflammation in your digestive tract. It can affect any part of your digestive tract, which runs from your mouth to your anus. But it usually affects your small intestine and the beginning of your large intestine.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ulcerative colitis and microscopic colitis are other common types of IBD.
What causes Crohn’s disease?
The cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown. Researchers think that an autoimmune reaction may be one cause. An autoimmune reaction happens when your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body. Genetics may also play a role, since Crohn’s disease can run in families.
Stress and eating certain foods don’t cause the disease, but they can make your symptoms worse.
Who is at risk for Crohn’s disease?
There are certain factors which can raise your risk of Crohn’s disease:
- Family history of the disease. Having a parent, child, or sibling with the disease puts you at higher risk.
- Smoking. This may double your risk of developing Crohn’s disease.
- Certain medicines, such as antibiotics, birth-control pills, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. These may slightly increase your chance of developing Crohn’s.
- A high-fat diet. This may also slightly increase your risk of Crohn’s.
What are the symptoms of Crohn’s disease?
The symptoms of Crohn’s disease can vary, depending where and how severe your inflammation is. The most common symptoms include:
Some other possible symptoms are:
- Anemia, a condition in which you have fewer red blood cells than normal
- Eye redness or pain
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Joint pain or soreness
- Nausea or loss of appetite
- Skin changes that involve red, tender bumps under the skin
Stress and eating certain foods such as carbonated drinks and high-fiber foods may make some people’s symptoms worse.
What other problems can Crohn’s disease cause?
Crohn’s disease can cause other problems, including:
- Intestinal obstruction, a blockage in the intestine
- Fistulas, abnormal connections between two parts inside of the body
- Abscesses, pus-filled pockets of infection
- Anal fissures, small tears in your anus that may cause itching, pain, or bleeding
- Ulcers, open sores in your mouth, intestines, anus, or perineum
- Malnutrition, when your body does not get the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients it needs
- Inflammation in other areas of your body, such as your joints, eyes, and skin
How is Crohn’s disease diagnosed?
Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:
- A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms
- A family history
- A physical exam, including
- Checking for bloating in your abdomen
- Listening to sounds within your abdomen using a stethoscope
- Tapping on your abdomen to check for tenderness and pain and to see if your liver or spleen is abnormal or enlarged
- Various tests, including
- Blood and stool tests
- A colonoscopy
- An upper GI endoscopy, a procedure in which your provider uses a scope to look inside your mouth, esophagus, stomach, and small intestine
- Diagnostic imaging tests, such as a CT scan or an upper GI series. An upper GI series uses a special liquid called barium and x-rays. Drinking the barium will make your upper GI tract more visible on an x-ray.
What are the treatments for Crohn’s disease?
There is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but treatments can decrease the inflammation in your intestines, relieve symptoms, and prevent complications. Treatments include medicines, bowel rest, and surgery. No single treatment works for everyone. You and your health care provider can work together to figure out which treatment is best for you:
- Medicines for Crohn’s include various medicines that decrease the inflammation. Some of these medicines do this by reducing the activity of your immune system. Medicines can also help with symptoms or complications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-diarrheal medicines. If your Crohn’s causes an infection, you may need antibiotics.
- Bowel rest involves drinking only certain liquids or not eating or drinking anything. This allows your intestines to rest. You may need to do this if your Crohn’s disease symptoms are severe. You get your nutrients through drinking a liquid, a feeding tube, or an intravenous (IV) tube. You may need to do bowel rest in the hospital, or you may be able to do it at home. It will last for a few days or up to several weeks.
- Surgery can treat complications and reduce symptoms when other treatments are not helping enough. The surgery will involve removing a damaged part of your digestive tract to treat
- Fistulas
- Bleeding that is life threatening
- Intestinal obstructions
- Side effects from medicines when they threaten your health
- Symptoms when medicines do not improve your condition
Changing your diet can help reduce symptoms. Your provider may recommend that you make changes to your diet, such as:
- Avoiding carbonated drinks
- Avoiding popcorn, vegetable skins, nuts, and other high-fiber foods
- Drinking more liquids
- Eating smaller meals more often
- Keeping a food diary to help identify foods that cause problems
Some people also need go on special diet, such as a low-fiber diet.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Encyclopedia
- Albumin blood (serum) test Medical Encyclopedia
- Barium enema Medical Encyclopedia
- Black or tarry stools Medical Encyclopedia
- D-xylose absorption Medical Encyclopedia
- Enteroclysis Medical Encyclopedia
- ESR Medical Encyclopedia
- Fecal fat Medical Encyclopedia
- Inflammatory bowel disease – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
- Phosphorus blood test Medical Encyclopedia
- Total colectomy or proctocolectomy – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Total proctocolectomy with ileostomy Medical Encyclopedia
- Toxic megacolon Medical Encyclopedia
- Virtual colonoscopy Medical Encyclopedia
Find an Expert
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
- Find a Gastroenterologist American College of Gastroenterology
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Living With
- Arthritis and Joint Pain in IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Bone Loss in IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: Emotional Factors Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Extraintestinal Complications: Kidney Disorders Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Eye Complications Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- General Healthcare Maintenance of IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- IBD and Fatigue Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Nutrition North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
- Intestinal Complications of IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Liver Complications Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Managing Flares and IBD Symptoms Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Sex Intimacy and IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Skin Complications of IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
Diagnosis and Tests
- Bacteria Culture Test National Library of Medicine
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test National Library of Medicine
- Colonoscopy: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- Diagnosing and Monitoring IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeding National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Lower GI Series (Barium Enema) National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- White Blood Cell (WBC) in Stool National Library of Medicine
- Xylose Testing National Library of Medicine
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Crohn Disease National Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases National Institutes of Health
Patient Handouts
- Colonoscopy Medical Encyclopedia
- Crohn disease Medical Encyclopedia
- Crohn disease – children – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Crohn disease – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Low-fiber diet Medical Encyclopedia
- Lower GI Series National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Treatments and Therapies
- Colostomy – Series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
- How Do Doctors Treat Crohn’s Disease? National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- IBD and Complementary Medicine Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Ostomy Surgery of the Bowel National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Surgery for Crohn’s Disease Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
Genetics
- Crohn disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Learning about Crohn’s Disease National Human Genome Research Institute
Start Here
- Crohn’s Disease National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- The Facts about Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- What Is Crohn’s Disease? Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
Children
- Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis: A Guide for Parents and Pediatric Caregivers Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (For Children) Nemours Foundation
- Nutrition Therapy and Crohn’s Disease Nemours Foundation
Statistics and Research
- Current Research Initiatives Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Inflammation National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Data and Statistics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Issues
- Gut Troubles: Pain, Gassiness, Bloating, and More National Institutes of Health
- Influenza and IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
- Overview of Enteropathic Arthritis / Arthritis Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Spondylitis Association of America
- Proctitis National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Short Bowel Syndrome National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Traveling with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
Women
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health
- Pregnancy and IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
Teenagers
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (For Teens) Nemours Foundation
- Navigating IBD as a Teen Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
Journal Articles
Adults
- Young Adults and IBD Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America